Scrubber for removing dirt from aggregates such as sand and gravel



Oct. 12,1948. I s. E. MOYER 2,450,980

SCRUBBER FOR REMOVING DIRT FROM AGGREGATES SUCH AS SAND AND GRAVEL Filed Aug. 24, 1945 I 2 Sheets-Shea 1 0 IV' iIlIHHIII HIM INVENTOR a GCorge I'rnesi Mayer av I 4, 41 a, 2,

ATTORNEYS E. MOYER SCRUBBER FOR REMOVING DIRT FROM AGGREGATES SUCH AS SAND AND GRAVEL Filed Aug. 24, 1945 Oct, 12, 19.48.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 20 George Ernest Mayer ATTORNEYS pose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of Patented a. 12, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFlCE SCRUBBER FOR REMOVING DIRT FROM AG- GREGATES SUCH AS SAND AND GRAYEL George Ernest Moyer, Altai-as, Calif.

Application August 24, 1945, Serial No. 612,495 1 Claims. (Cl. 209-452) The present invention relates to, and it is an object to provide, an improved scrubber for aggregates such as sand and gravel whereby to remove dirt and foreign substance therefrom preparatory to commercial use of said aggre; gates. I 3,

Another object of the invention is to provide a scrubber, as above, which comprises a substantially horizontal rotary trommel fitted on the interior with novel means for elevating oversize aggregates and then dropping the sable onto the slurry in the trommel'so as to produce an effective pounding action on such slurry, which action materially facilitates the scrubbing of the aggregates in the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a scrubber, as in the preceding paragraph, in

which said elevating means comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced lifting grate units mounted in the trommel; each of said grates including a multiplicity of spaced, inwardly projecting fingers normally disposed in angled relation to the trommel axis in the direction of feed in the trommel.

An additional object of the invention is to incorporate, in the scrubber, a novel assembly for separating large and small aggregates, and for dewatering the larger aggregates before discharge thereof from the machine.

It is also an object to produce anaggregate scrubber which has a high capacity without sacrificing effective cleaning of the aggregates.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the pursuch structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims. 1

In the drawings similar character of reference indicate corresponding parts' in the several views:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, somewhat diagrammatic, of the machine.

Figure 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. l. I

Figure 3 is an enlarged crpss section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross section on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the machine comprises an elongated rotary body or trommel, indicated generally at l such trommel being substantially horizontally and rotatably supported adjacent its ends by metallic, 1 rings or tires 2 which engage with pairs of transvcrsely spaced trunnion rollers 3. The trommel I is driven in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, by any suitable means, shown in part at At the intake end 5 the trommel is formed with a central opening 6, through which a feed chute projects at a forward and downward incline; said chute being adapted to feed aggregates and water into the trommel as a slurry.

Adjacent the intake end 5 of the trommel l the latter 'is fitted with a plurality of longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced feeding vanes 8 projecting inwardly and pitched in a direction to cause the slurry to feed forwardly in the trommel. This section of the trommel is indicated generally at 9, while the trommel forwardly thereof is divided into other longitudinal sections, indicated generally at l0, II and H.

The section It], directly ahead of the initial or feeding section 9, is the scrubbing section and is constructed as follows:

Within the section III of the trommel I the same is fitted with a plurality of longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced feeding'vane units 13, each including a plurality of spaced, relatively short inwardly projecting vanes pitched to cause continued advance of thejf'slurry within the trommel, and particularlyfihrough said, section II). As shown, certain ofthejfeeding vane units l 3 are detachable from within the trommel. This permits removal of certain of said units if it is desired to slow down the rate of feed of the slurry through the section In.

Adjacent and alongside of the feeding vane units l3 the trommel is fitted with a corresponding number of longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced lifting grate units 14, each of which includes a multiplicity of spaced, inwardly projecting flat fingers I 5 disposed edgewise to thedirection of rotation of the trommel and in angled or pitched relation to the trommel axis, and in the direction of feed through the trommel.

The angle of the fingers I5 is adjustable, as

working conditions may require, by means of the on the trommel on the outside but opening to the interior thereof. In each housing I8 there is a longitudinally extending slide block I9 formed with a plurality of equally spaced notches 20 in which rigid pins 2I on the fingers I5 engage; the pins projecting from the fingers I5 parallel to the cross pins I6. With sliding movement of the slide block I9 in a lengthwise direction the pin and slot assembly causes the fingers I5 to be adjusted in their angle relative to the axis of the trommel; said fingers normally being angled or pitched forwardly, i. e., in the direction of flow of slurry through the trommel.

The slide blocks I9 are mounted for such longitudinal sliding adjustment by means of opposed end trunnions 22 which are threaded and project through corresponding end walls 23 of the housings I8; adjustment nuts 24 being threaded on the trunnions 22 exteriorly of but in engagement with adjacent end walls 23. With adjustment of the nuts 24 in one direction or the other a corresponding adjustment of the slide block I9 is accomplished.

If desired, the fingers I5 may be set at right angles to the trommel, and metal balls or the like used as the grinding or crushin medium. These balls would be larger than the space between the fingers, and would remain in section II). Only the crushed material, smaller than said spaces, would then be discharged from the section. a

When the machine is in operation the slurry feeds from section 9 into section I and is advanced through the latter by the feeding vane units I3. As the trommel I rotates in the direction of the arrow. in Fig. 3, the lifting grate units pick up oversized aggregates from the slurry and elevate such over-sized aggregates to a point adjacent but short of the top of the trommel. At such point the over-sized aggregates escap from said lifting grate units and fall downwardly onto the slurry, producing a grinding or pounding action, which materially facilitates the scrubbing of the material. As the fingers I of the lifting grate units I I are angled or pitched in the direction'of feed through the machine, the oversized aggregates are progressively fed forwardly, while being recurringly raised and discharged to produce the above pounding action.

From the section ID the slurry, including the over-sized aggregates, feeds over a radial baflle B onto a further section II which is perforate, and in the present embodiment comprises a multiplicity 0f longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced bars 25 disposed in closely spaced relation, and which bars are circular in cross section. The section II also includes longitudinal rows of feeding vanes .26 in circumferentially spaced relation.

As the slurry feeds from section I0 into section I I it is rinsed or fiushed by water under relatively high pressure which discharges from one or more nozzles 21 within section II. The nozzle is fed by a pipe 28 which enters the trommel axially from its forward or outlet end. Under the infiuence of the stream of water from the nozzle 21 the sand and smaller aggregates are flushed through the perforate section II of the scrubber into a bottom receiver 29 for further processing, as in a sand classifier or the like (not shown).

The oversized aggregates, i. e. those which cannot escape between the bars 25, are fed forwardly and, at the front end of th section I I, which may be termed the separating section, are picked up by a plurality of circumferentially spaced scoop plates 30 pitched in the direction of rotation of the trommel. The scoop plates 30 project rearwardly from corresponding circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending dewatering units 3|, each of which units comprises a plurality of radial bars 32 disposed in spaced relation lengthwise of the trommel. The bars extend in fixed connection between an outwardly tapering cone 33 mounted in the section I2 in clearance relation to the outer wall thereof, and which outer wall tapers forwardly and inwardly at its end portion, as at 34. The taper of the end portion 34 of the section I2, which may be termed the dewatering section of the trommel, conforms substantially to the taper of the cone 33.

As the oversized aggregates are picked up by the scoop plates 30 from the section I I, such oversized aggregates are elevated on the dewatering units 3|, the water draining from said over-sized aggregates as they are raised. As the dewatering units 3I approach the top of the trommel the oversized aggregates fall therefrom onto the cone 33 and thence discharge downwardly and outwardly into a hopper 35 for subsequent handling or processing.

The cone 33, at its forward end, includes a deflector plate 36 which prevents the oversized aggregates from spilling beyond the hopper 35, and assuring that such aggregates fall into said hopper.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device which substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

1. An aggregate processing machine comprising a driven, substantially longitudinally disposed rotary trommel; means to admit the aggregates into one end of the trommel in the form of a slurry, a plurality of longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced, feeding vane units, mounted on the inner face of the trommel; each vane unit comprising a plurality of parallel, relatively short, radially projecting feeding vanes; said vanes being pitched with respect to the plane of rotation of the trommel to advance the slurry through the trommel; a longitudinally extending lifting grate unit immediately adjacent each feeding vane unit and in advance of the same in the direction of rotation; each grate unit comprising a plurality of parallel radially projecting fingers mounted on the inner face of the trommel, said fingers being of greater radial extension than the corresponding vanes, whereby as the trommel rotates the fingers will project into the moving slurry beyond the edges of the vanes and engage and lift the larger elements of the aggregates and then discharge them from adjacent the top of the trommel back into the slurry.

2. A machine as in claim 1 in which the fingers are pitched in the direction of movement of the slurry through the trommel.

3. An aggregate processing machine comprising a driven longitudinal trommel, and a, plurality of longitudinally extending, circumferentlally spaced lifting grate units mounted in the trommel, each unit including a row of spaced, inwardly projecting fingers, said fingers being fiat and the pitch thereof lengthwise of said trommel, and

means in each channel to which the fingers are connected for adjustment as a unit. 7

5. An aggregate processing machine comprising a driven longitudinal trommel, means form-' ing a plurality of longitudinally extending, vcircumferentlally spaced fingers projecting into the trommel from each of said pockets, cross pins on said fingers intermediate their ends turnably mounting the fingers on the trommel for adjustment of the pitch thereof lengthwise of said trommel, and means in each channel to which. the flnu gers are connected for adjustment as a unit:

' said last named means comprising. for each row of fingers, a slide block in the channel, opposed end trunnions on the slide block extending through opposite end. walls which define the ends of said pockets, and adjustment nuts threaded on said trunnions and engaging the outside of said end walls. g

8. A machine as in claim, 5 in which each slide block includes longitudinally spaced openings corresponding to the adjacent row of fingers, and actuating pins fixed on the fingers and projecting into corresponding openings; the actuating pins being parallel to said cross pins. and the slide blocks being movable at a right angle thereto.

7. An aggregate processing machine comprising a longitudinal trommel having a perforate aggregate separating section, means to feed water into said section, a'dewatering section beyond said separating section, said dewatering section including a plurality of circumferentially spaced,

inwardly projecting perforate dewatering unitsoperative to receive and elevate'aggregates from the separating section for draining, means to feed a regates from the separating section to the dewatering units, and catch means onto which said dewatering units discharge the drained aggregates said aggregate feeding means comprising a scoop plate mounted on each dewatering unit and projecting into the adjacent end of said separating section. each scoop plate being pitched in the direction of rotation of the trommel.

GEORGE ERNEST MOYEB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 807,900 Batley Dec. 19, 1905 1,122,908 Goodwin Dec. 29, 1914 1,525,622 Stacker Feb. 10,1925 1,958,309 Lockett May 8, 1934 2,298,016 Lincoln Oct. 6, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 257,715 Great Britain Sept. 9, 1926 414,809 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1934 443,447

Great Britain Feb. 28, 1936 

